The present invention relates to a cell isolation apparatus which can be used in the case where a pathological analysis is performed.
After a pathological specimen is prepared, a pathological analysis on a tissue slice is performed by a cytotechnologist or a pathologist. When cells are to be isolated from tissue, the mincing process with using a blade is required. In order to obtain an isolated cell suspension, moreover, liquid which is obtained after the mincing process must be filtered through a mesh. In the related art, in order to obtain a cell suspension which is to be used in a pathological analysis, as described above, two steps of operation are required.
A skilled technique is required for preparing a specimen or performing a diagnosis by a cytotechnologist or a pathologist, and there is a possibility that a difference may be produced in the diagnosis result depending on the difference in technique. In the period from extraction of tissue to diagnosis, procedures such as tissue fixation, section preparation, and staining are necessary, and a cytotechnologist or the like is restrained for a predetermined time period. Therefore, procedures which are to be performed before diagnosis are requested to be automatized.
In order to allow anyone to easily perform an operation of mincing tissue which is necessary for culturing cells from extracted tissue, therefore, a related-art apparatus is proposed in which a metal mesh is disposed in each of upper and lower openings of a cylinder member, a tissue piece is placed on the metal mesh, and the tissue is minced by centrifugal separation (see Japanese Patent No. 4,156,847).
The above related-art apparatus can mince tissue, but is not an apparatus which is intended to automatize procedures such as section preparation and staining. From this point of view, such an apparatus is requested to be further improved.